Coinage

U.S. coinage production continued to drop during 1992 as a slow economy and the increasing use of credit cards apparently tempered demand for hard money. Last year's total of 12 billion pieces-the lowest in several years-has a face value of $465 million, or about $1.85 worth of new money for each U.S. citizen. Lincoln pennies again accounted for three of every four pieces made at the federal mints. Coinage demand is affected by population levels, economic activity, inflation and...

1 Forty-seven percent of Americans have Googled themselves, a new study says. The rest would, but they're not sure their pastor would approve. 2 A Maywood man was arrested after allegedly posting items-wanted ads on Craigslist, then robbing people when they'd show up with the stuff. That may explain a recent "missed connection" I saw on the site: "You: Carrying an outdated laptop computer you thought you'd get $500 for. Me: Secretly packing heat. I didn't know you'd leave the parking lot so quickly.

Any book on North American coinage that includes a section on Greenland obviously is a book with an attitude. The fifth edition of "North American Coins & Prices," edited by David C. Harper (Krause Publications, $14.95), finishes with a page on Greenland. Mostly, though, it provides accurate pricing for Mexican, Canadian and U.S. coinage and offers clear discussions of grading, flaws, the minting process and collecting. One essay suggests a dozen coins that present the top numismatic...

Coinage of all forms is just plain annoying. Paper money, for most people, goes into a wallet where it is secure. When you take a wallet out of your pocket or purse, everything stays in it. You hold the wallet in front of you to open it up and take out whatever you need, be it a credit card, cash or your driver's license. Should a dollar somehow fall out, it is pretty noticeable. However, most coinage goes into a person's front pocket(s) along with the lip balm, cell phone, car keys, MP3 player and a...

Coinage in the 17th Century reflected a changing world of technology and politics. The number and variety of coins struck worldwide increased greatly, making the field difficult for collectors. A large step toward a comprehensive guide to 17th Century coinage has been taken by Chester L. Krause and Clifford Mishler, with the mammoth volume "World Coins, 1601-1700" (Krause Publications, $65). The names of coins, metal, weight, size and exchange rates are listed here, as is information about...

A citizen advisory committee thought it had chosen the figure for the new dollar coin, with a 6-1 vote in favor of Sacajawea, the young Shoshone woman who guided explorers Lewis and Clark. But Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin hasn't announced whether he will approve the panel's June 9 recommendation. And a member of the panel, Rep. Michael Castle (R-Del.) has complicated the matter by sponsoring legislation to require that the coins depict the Statue of Liberty instead. ...

It's late, but there is still time to get that one always-welcome gift for a collector--a book.Here is a sampling of what's available: - "1996 North American Coins & Prices" (Krause Publications, $14.95). Colonial coins and all U.S. coinage from 1792 are included. The book also supplies historical backgrounds for Canadian coins since 1858 and Mexican coins from 1701. - "Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of English and UK Coins, 1066 to Date" (By Richard Lobel, others, Krause Publications,...

When David Letterman, in a cheap-shot attempt at humor on his late-night CBS talk show, coined the word "Unasquealer" to characterize the lead furnished by David Kaczynski that led the FBI to brother Theodore John Kaczynski in the mountain vastness of Montana, he reduced to triviality the personal anguish and inner turmoil that any one of us would experience upon turning in an older brother suspected of murder. Without the lead furnished by David Kaczynski, the FBI would still be engaged in the $50 million, going...

Coinage of all forms is just plain annoying. Paper money, for most people, goes into a wallet where it is secure. When you take a wallet out of your pocket or purse, everything stays in it. You hold the wallet in front of you to open it up and take out whatever you need, be it a credit card, cash or your driver's license. Should a dollar somehow fall out, it is pretty noticeable. However, most coinage goes into a person's front pocket(s) along with the lip balm, cell phone, car keys, MP3 player and a...

Coinage in the 17th Century reflected a changing world of technology and politics. The number and variety of coins struck worldwide increased greatly, making the field difficult for collectors. A large step toward a comprehensive guide to 17th Century coinage has been taken by Chester L. Krause and Clifford Mishler, with the mammoth volume "World Coins, 1601-1700" (Krause Publications, $65). The names of coins, metal, weight, size and exchange rates are listed here, as is information about...

Three new courses will be added to the summer conference held annually by the American Numismatic Association at Colorado College near the association's Colorado Springs headquarters. The conference, July 9 through 15, will offer new courses in collecting Olympic coins, Mexican coinage and an advanced research seminar under the guidance of Robert W. Hoge, the ANA's Money Museum curator. The summer program will also include courses in the minting process, British coinage, the art of...

It's late, but there is still time to get that one always-welcome gift for a collector--a book.Here is a sampling of what's available: - "1996 North American Coins & Prices" (Krause Publications, $14.95). Colonial coins and all U.S. coinage from 1792 are included. The book also supplies historical backgrounds for Canadian coins since 1858 and Mexican coins from 1701. - "Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of English and UK Coins, 1066 to Date" (By Richard Lobel, others, Krause Publications,...

Uncle Sam will invite several artists to submit designs for coins to honor the 50th anniversary of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. Legislation signed by President Bush on July 16 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce up to 5.5 million 1991-dated coins, with some of the profits from sales to be used for improvements to the memorial. A coin sellout would raise $18.75 million for Mount Rushmore, which features the busts of four presidents carved into stone. ...

Generosity is a golden holiday tradition in McHenry County, and this year is no exception. Salvation Army volunteers are hustling and bustling to keep up with all the gold coins that have been anonymously dropped into red donation kettles. The latest, a gold Liberty coin, was discovered Thursday morning in a kettle stationed at Kmart on Illinois Highway 47 in Woodstock. Capt. Aleta Beachum, having just learned of the latest discovery, did not yet know the value of the coin,...

A survey of coin collectors shows they want Ronald Reagan portrayed on a U.S. coin. Most respondents in the poll of 2,307 collectors by the Littleton Coin Co. of Littleton, N.H., said they wanted coin design changes, and they favored featuring portraits of presidents. Reagan was top choice, followed by Harry Truman. The third most popular choice of subject for a coin was Martin Luther King Jr. Astronauts, sports figures and John Wayne were others named. Elvis Presley placed eighth, behind Richard Nixon...

Any book on North American coinage that includes a section on Greenland obviously is a book with an attitude. The fifth edition of "North American Coins & Prices," edited by David C. Harper (Krause Publications, $14.95), finishes with a page on Greenland. Mostly, though, it provides accurate pricing for Mexican, Canadian and U.S. coinage and offers clear discussions of grading, flaws, the minting process and collecting. One essay suggests a dozen coins that present the top numismatic...

Is it a "distinctive and desirable" keepsake or merely an altered coin designed to "snatch money" from collectors? So goes the debate over "Freedom Pack," a serially numbered commemorative half dollar being sold by the American Numismatic Association. Earlier this year, the ANA hired a private company to add a serial number and initials to thousands of 1993 Bill of Rights commemorative half dollars made by the U.S. Mint. Those coins now are being offered to collectors for $19.95 each...

A survey of coin collectors shows they want Ronald Reagan portrayed on a U.S. coin. Most respondents in the poll of 2,307 collectors by the Littleton Coin Co. of Littleton, N.H., said they wanted coin design changes, and they favored featuring portraits of presidents. Reagan was top choice, followed by Harry Truman. The third most popular choice of subject for a coin was Martin Luther King Jr. Astronauts, sports figures and John Wayne were others named. Elvis Presley placed eighth, behind Richard Nixon...

A citizen advisory committee thought it had chosen the figure for the new dollar coin, with a 6-1 vote in favor of Sacajawea, the young Shoshone woman who guided explorers Lewis and Clark. But Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin hasn't announced whether he will approve the panel's June 9 recommendation. And a member of the panel, Rep. Michael Castle (R-Del.) has complicated the matter by sponsoring legislation to require that the coins depict the Statue of Liberty instead. ...

A battle that's been prepared quietly behind the scenes for 20 years begins its climactic public phase this week. It deserves the widest possible attention, since it affects the daily life of every American over the age of, say, 6. It has to do with whether a dollar coin should replace the $1 bill and, by sleight-of-hand, eliminate the penny from our national life. It is not exactly a momentous matter, but deeply interesting. The real issue goes far beyond vending machines,...